The Lifeline Centre
- for addicted survivors of trauma
Everyday in the Ottawa-Carleton Region, men and women dressed in rags aimlessly wander past us on the streets, sometimes raving, mumbling or talking to visions they perceive. Frequently they will beg for money. They appear dirty, frail and afraid of human contact. While signs of mental illness may be apparent certainly their life experiences have also included abuse and addiction. The smell of drugs, alcohol or solvents which infuses their clothing reveals their addictions.
Many people feel sorrow and sometimes pity for these people. Well-meaning, social action groups may gather together and celebrate the lonely death of the least fortunate by holding candlelight services on heating grates, saying they "died with dignity". This is denial. A necessary first step toward homeless people is to learn who they are and what problems confront them. Each person's situation is unique.
The homeless population represents all races and may include refugees, parolees, runaway youth and children, war veterans, people with compulsive disorders such as gambling or self-imposed isolation, the destitute elderly and former hippies. These people without homes are often mentally ill persons, drug addicts and alcoholics.
The Lifeline Centre was created to address the underlying problems of the homeless - problems which are too often ignored. The Lifeline Centre is a non-profit organization that operates a live-in treatment program for up to 15 men at a time. This program is a new approach to assisting homeless men. The very core of our program is to treat the addiction with the trauma. This is new. Participants follow the residential program schedule while working their way back into community life.
The structure provides individual and group sessions, with the emphasis on ensuring that clients develop pride in who they are, re-establish their sense of belonging, in a caring and committed society. As men progress in a drug-free environment, gain knowledge, and develop new-found skills, their self-esteem and confidence will flourish. Negative energy turned into a positive force is good power - with no boundaries. As part of their treatment program and integration into independent living, clients are required to seek employment, work part-time or train-on-the-job.